Enigma
by Dark-Guardian
Summary: In an attempt to meet him in the real world, Kite visits Elk's home. Of course, Kite goes there at the wrong time, and discovers that Elk's parents abuse him. KitexElk shounen-ai
1. Chapter I: Meeting and Plans

Disclaimer: Someone as pathetic as me could never own .hack//INFECTION. I only own the game... :-( I want more .hack....  
  
Author's Notes: I edited this! Thanks for informing me! ^_^  
  
Things you should know:  
  
1. In the real world, their names are Elk and Kite, (or shall at least be called that)  
  
2. Elk is abused.  
  
3. They both are guys in the real world, (you don't ever figure out Elk's real sex)  
  
4. This is shounen-ai, or in other words, male x male relationship.  
  
5. This is a KitexElk.  
  
6. This doesn't have any real spoliers..if not...none.  
  
7. This takes place at a time 'before' phrase one, Skeith.  
  
8. Other characters won't really be mentioned. Maybe for the plot, but they won't have a plot of their own.  
  
9. This is short of AUish.  
  
10. NO flaming about the shounen-ai. Why don't yaoi fans start flaming girl x guy relationships? We accept the fact that you don't like yaoi, so accept the fact that we do. Plus you must be pretty lame to click on these types of fanfics, don't even read them, and flame.  
  
Thanks, now READ!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Aqua Capital Mac Anu was usually the first server that anyone would log onto. Its calm music would fill your ears, and then you would experience the chatter of all the players. You could communicate with other people so freely in "The World." The appearance and age of you would be dismissed. You could start another life.  
  
And as Kite logged into the world, and appeared at chaos gate, he felt as though he had entered another world. And instantly, he began to walk down the streets, passing by people, and occasionally shoving once the street grew crowded enough. It is the perfect place to escape from the real world.  
  
The first thought that registered through Kite's mind was Elk. Elk was the first, and possibly the only one, who was innocent, shy, and not hyper. Not really the best aspects for battles, but... cute.  
  
He at first seemed to be a weak, shy person who wouldn't benefit for a good alley. He seemed to be too scared to oppose other monsters correctly, and definitely wouldn't be able to defend himself. Kite first decided to stick with Mistral. Then, he was proven wrong when he once encountered Elk in Mac Anu. Elk invited him to go with him, on their own dungeon adventure.  
  
In the dungeon, Kite encountered several moments when he required a full recovery. That was taken care of almost instantly as Elk used Repth on Kite. Second, when a monster was powerful, and he didn't have a skill that it was weak against, Elk would be there. Wave masters can't work alone well, but they always benefit when in a party.  
  
Kite was startled when he spotted the Wavemaster at the weapon shop, browsing through some weapons. When Kite wanted to see him, he usually had to call him, instead of meeting him unexpectedly.  
  
The Wavemaster soon noticed Kite there, and immediately began to run in his usual slow pace. As he neared Kite, he brushed off his clothes, as if they were real and attracted dust. Kite would never really understand why they added dust effects to The World.  
  
He stopped in front of Kite and huffed slightly, looking down at the ground before doing another action. He moved his arm up to scratch his head. He was always nervous. Elk really needed to learn that it was okay to be slightly tired.  
  
"Um...I uh," The red-eyed boy never was good at making words come out of his mouth. It wasn't an unusual thing to see; stuttering just when meeting someone you knew.  
  
Elk currently looked adorable. He always did, but at this particular moment it was unbearable. His little innocent eyes appearing petrified, a slight blush on his checks, the scratching, how Elk was pushing his hair back, crouching slightly. He really took showing emotions seriously.  
  
Elk's character was good looking, too. Short, blue hair, brownish, reddish eyes, that black attire that he wore, and his staff only added to the outfit. He was, however, a edited character, and it was foolish to think of these things. Kite secretly hoped that Elk's appearance was similar to his real one.  
"I uh...h-here, take it." Kite examined the new weapon that Elk had received and gave away. Level 9 Sotetsu. How had he acquired this? It must have been lots of work. Kite had been going around for days trying to find a better weapon.  
  
"Wow! This weapon is way better than my old one!" Kite replied, immediately equipping the new weapon. "Thanks!" The Twin blade took a breath and calmed down. "But, how did you obtain it?" Elk shook slightly after Kite had asked the question. "And...why?"  
  
"....Well, you always were giving me scrolls and even new weapons. I felt as though I should repay you. I, umm...kind of went to some random keywords throwing Shadow Blades in springs until they became this."  
  
He gave them to Kite in consolation of giving him items? He was very gracious. Everyone that knew him knew that. And everyone who knew Elk was very delicate with him. But, was he like this in reality? Did anyone take advantage of Elk in reality?  
  
"Elk, you really didn't have to. I really appreciate this, but you shouldn't have wasted all your time getting this weapon for me." Kite patted him slightly on the shoulder. "Don't let anyone take advantage of you, O.K.?" For some odd reason, Elk whimpered slightly after Kite said that.  
  
"I understand. You don't like them."  
  
"No!" Kite instantly corrected him. "I really like them. They have a better status then my old ones, but you still shouldn't go through all that trouble. Here, I want you to have this, in a sort of consolation thing."  
  
He reached through his pack, and seconds later pulled out a big rod. "I hope it is better than the one you are using, or than there wouldn't be much point in giving it to you." Kite handed the level 11 Almighty Wand to Elk.  
  
Elk examined it with a big smile on his face. How cute it was to watch him do so. "This....is great! I only had an Air Wand, but...this is about 6 levels higher!" Elk equipped it and began swinging it around to get used to the feel of it.  
  
"Hey, Elk," Kite started, but seemed as though he didn't want to continue what he brought up.  
  
"Yes, what is it?" He asked as he always did. In that little innocent manner. This compelled Kite to finish.  
  
"I was wondering.... are you anything like how you are in the real world?" Elk slightly whimpered again, and, lowering his head, began fixing his hat. Playing with it. Trying to make the moment pass. Kite continued to stare at Elk, and Elk decided there wasn't a correct way to ignore the question.  
  
"I-I... guess I am," he answered in a startled voice. "And maybe... in some ways I am not. It depends on your perception. How about you?"  
  
The conversation was getting the best of them. It contained gifts, thanks, and curiosity. It contained two people asking questions that they weren't familiar with, and were slightly uncomfortable.  
  
"In most ways," Kite answered. "In real life, I might be a little different, but from the most part, I'm the same." He yawned. "It's getting dark. Or...at least for me. I'm not sure about you."  
  
"Yeah, it is late for me, too." Elk answered. "Though I am not sure I want to log out."  
  
"Elk, where do you live? Japan, Tokyo?" He nodded in return. "Sorry if that question was personal."  
  
"That is okay," Elk replied. "So, I guess you live there too, right?" Kite nodded, and appeared happy.  
  
"You know, maybe we could meet in the real world some time. That would be nice, and since we are close it should be okay. Member addresses don't really count. It's difficult to meet online at the same time. Could we arrange something?"  
  
He didn't want to answer. It was all too hard. He could get Kite in trouble, but Kite didn't appear to care. He really seemed to want this, and probably would find out Elk's real address if he didn't say it. "I-I...will e-mail it to you."  
  
After, he immediately logged out before Kite could say anything further.  
  
~*~  
  
"M-m-mom...I...uh, umm......"  
  
"I TOLD YOU TO STOP STUTTERING WHEN IN MY PRESENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW, IT BETTER BE IMPORTANT!"  
  
"I-I g-guess it i-is n-not i-important."  
  
"ELK! TELL ME WHAT YOU WANTED TO SAY. I WILL JUDGE IT AFTER HEARING IT!!!"  
  
"I-I t-t-told Kite o-our a-address. I w-was wondering i-if he could c- come over."  
  
"So you finally made a friend!" The mother began to spread laughs through the room. This was Elk's first friend. His only friend that was real. Elk used "The World" to make friends. Finally, he made one that would come over.  
"I'd have to think about it...I'd like to see you try and make a friend in real life. You're so useless, I have to wonder why that Kite would even like you on "The World." It's a shame, really. If you really want Kite over, you will do three racks of dishes."  
  
"W-why do I a-always h-have to e-earn e-everything?"  
  
_SLAP_  
  
Elk was brought down to the dirty mats on the floor in pain. Several more blows were being lifted. He was in so much pain. Why did Kite have to go about asking like he didn't know. Of course, he didn't, and that was his fault.  
  
"NEVER ASK THAT AGAIN! NOW DO THE DISHES!"  
  
Elk got up by supporting all his body weight on his one leg, and then almost fell down again. After taking one glance at the mirror on the door, the one that led to the kitchen, he saw all the blood that stained his white T-shirt and black cargo pants. His one shoe had broken, and no doubt that it would be for a while, and he appeared paler than usual. His hair was in a mess, all tangled up, and where he was slapped... it was red. Pure red.  
  
"Why do I h-have to e-earn e-everything?" He whispered after putting his hand on his face, where his mother had slapped him. "What did I do to deserve this?" Tears swelled up in his eyes, then fell down his cheeks. Blinking, he stopped them. He had to do the dishes, or than he'd never meet the real Kite. Slowly walking, trying to adjust to the feelings inside him, he walked down the steps and to the kitchen to do the dishes.  
  
_+=_+=_+=_  
  
A/U: I didn't write all that for nothing! So, review!!! FEED ME!!!!--then I'll continue. 


	2. Chapter II: Getting Suspicious

Disclaimer: I don't own it. Please refer to chapter one if you want further reference.  
  
A/N: I'm really sorry I didn't continue sooner. I had a minor case of writers' block and a pile of homework. Not a good combination. Anyway, thanks for the reviews. I appreciate them all; I didn't expect to get so many.  
  
Things you should know:  
  
1. I don't live in Japan.  
  
2. Therefore, Elk's address wouldn't exist, nor would his road or anything. I can only tell you he lives somewhere in Toyko.  
  
3. I already know ja ne means "so long" or "see you" and I know kawaii... Do people think I'm really bad enough to not know some Japanese when I watch anime and play video games and read manga? --do you think I'm as pathetic as I think I am?--(no, that's impossible) Thanks for telling, though.  
  
4. Thank you for informing me of my big mistake. I'll watch out for doing it as of now. (I corrected chapter one)  
  
5. The keywords aren't probably accurate, so no informing me, "I went to the keywords you mentioned in the fanfic and it wasn't anything like you described it as," please.  
  
--------------------------- Ahem *important*. These are the reasons to why Kite and Elk stick with their names in the real world.  
  
1. You want me to name them something stupid? I can't create good names.  
  
2. I'm sure that everyone wouldn't appreciate it if I called Kite something like Ben and Elk being Bob or whatever.  
  
3. People don't want to adjust to a fake name given to someone. It'd be like making up an original character and making them take the place of Kite or Elk. ----------------------------  
  
Okay, now read!!!!!!  
  
Morning bunddled its light into another bright morning. The birds chirped their heads off without a care, knowing that there was no opposing force to demand an immediate stop to the sounds that were generated in their throats.  
  
The morning was to oppose the night, as it had rained. The grass was greener than usual, and many people were set to work to trim the grass. The temperature was any normal morning temperature; not to hot or cold. It was always like this in this season.  
  
Kite had gotten a decent amount of sleep after completing his homework. Other than the fact that he couldn't wait until Elk finally would e-mail him, he had slept well. Now he was awakened by the annoying alarm that did both good and bad.  
  
*BEEP, BEEP*  
  
Hitting the clock in a punching manner made the "beeps" stop, and Kite immediately sprang out of his bed. He would take a shower, change, comb his hair, have breakfast, brush his teeth, and then play on "The World" before going to school, not to mention check his e-mail.  
  
He grabbed a random towel and began running the water. He always found it difficult to adjust the water to the perfect temperature. It would always change without any immediate acknowledgment, which lead to many screams.  
  
After striping from his pajamas and entering the shower, Kite relaxed, and left his guard to sleep as he forgot about the consequences contained in the shower. However, the side effects of the shower never occurred, as he rushed into some casual clothing and began to work on his hair. The messy mob on his head.  
  
Elk; he seemed to be hiding something. Someone wasn't that shy and nervous for no reason at all.  
  
After completing his slightly altered schedule, he logged onto "The World" while munching on some toast.  
  
~*~  
  
"You've got new mail" showed up immediately as some soft music that had been placed intentionally began to play. Kite smiled with excitement as he accessed his mail, and found one message from Elk. He double-clicked it without hesitation.  
  
"Hi, Kite. I live at: the 13th house on Reden road, in the south parts of Toyko. You know where that is, right? Well, I gotta go. Bye. We can meet later at Delta Hidden Forbidden Sunny Demon."  
  
~*~  
  
Again, the climate changed so fast as Kite had "entered" another world. Yes, he was lucky to have access to this place. So many players were in The World. So many faces. And not too many people to depend on.  
  
"Later on" wasn't exactly a specified time. It was vague. Too vague to be able to guess. And, what level was that server, anyway? So little information provided.  
  
Later on probably meant sometime at night. After all, it is a school night, and not to forget that not too many people would access the world around 6:00 a.m.  
  
The best thing to do was to train and log out.  
  
~*~  
  
_SLAP_  
  
"What did I tell you before?" The mother asked, but it was more of a command than a question.  
  
"N-not to k-keep asking y-you w-why I must e-earn everything," Elk replied in a quiet voice filled with sorrow. He really wanted to just know why, but his mother always refused to answer him. He felt the newly formed mark made directly on his cheek in an attempt to annihilate the pain.  
  
"I want you to do all the dishes, make me something to eat, and do my laundry. Got it?" The mother began tapping her fingers; those vicious fingers that would once again be brought into Elk's face in a matter of seconds, brought only to accompany the fists.  
  
"W-why?" Elk implied again, and instantly regretting doing that as he suffered the consequence, being punched so hard that he fell halfway down the stairs, causing more wounds.  
  
"I informed you, specifically, to do as told! Now do it before you have to stay home because of your injuries getting to painful!" She pushed him down the rest of the stairs, and he groaned as he got up, right after his mom went to take a shower.  
  
Taking the opportunity for good use, Elk began examining his wounds. Blood stained the one blue sleeve of his shirt. A lot of blood. He lifted the sleeve up and gazed at the cut that was causing him the most pain out of all his injuries.  
  
The cut was like it was constructed from a well-built, good aiming swordsman that has lots of experience. Blood was rushing out of it, and it was no doubt going to keep him home to do his mother's chores. Elk knew that it must've been from the stairs, since he vaguely remembered crashing his arm into the edge of one stair.  
  
Silently, he began to walk around, occasionally swinging around beyond his control, and feeling like passing out because of lack of blood. He wasn't sure he could take this anymore, so he decided that after finishing his mother's orders he would log in The World. He basically had the whole day off, unless his mother bothered him further.  
  
So, adding hot water into the sink, and having to insert his hands into hot dish water without any equipment, such as gloves, he winced and soon relaxed his hands into the boiling water. He should be used to it by now.  
  
~*~  
  
Night, or at least 6:00 p.m., finally reached its way into Elk's world. Finally, this was when his mother had to go to work; when he was safe from any disturbances. He immediately logged unto the world, as he wasn't capable of doing anything, thanks to his one arm.  
  
Going onto Mac Anu and hoping that Kite would be there, he waited at the chaos gate after trying to call him into his party. Nothing. Better go on Delta Hidden Forbidden Sunny Demon. That's where they were to meet, anyway.  
  
And in going there, he experienced difficulty. With his injured arm, it was difficult to manufacture himself. The controls...almost as though they were switched around in a manner that Elk didn't know where any of them are.  
  
Elk took the time to study the environment. The grass was a dark green and there were lots of clouds in the sky. It was drizzling slightly, only an added effect to The World. There were some occasional trees placed around the field, and some small, colorful houses placed in random places. The majority of the enemies was the water type.  
  
Kite finally arrived. Elk was just grateful that his character didn't portray his wounds. Kite came with an reasonable smile on.  
  
"Elk, you know, we haven't gone on a dungeon adventure together for a long time. Let's go to the dungeon. The enemies shouldn't be too hard."  
  
Elk agreed to go in the dungeon immediately, forgetting his disabilities. They both walked barely an inch before a monster portal was opened and summoned the monsters. Annoying, yet fun at the same time.  
  
"Do you have the skill Vak Kruz equipped? This enemy is weak against fire." Elk responded by casting Vak Ruz on the monster and vanquishing it completely. The data slipped away as it was deleted. The monsters were defeated.  
  
"Kite, these enemies seem weak," Elk said, pointing out the recent battle against the three monsters.  
  
"The easier we get to the Gott statue," Kite replied. "Besides, we should get some good items," he added, "Plus, the enemies will get stronger the further we go down." He nodded to prove his point. So, they both continued, finding the dungeon entrance shortly after, and another portal.  
  
Stepping towards the portal, they both prepares themselves for the fight. Once the enemies showed up, Elk used another Vak Kruz, killing the monster targeted instantly. Kite used Staccato to finish the only other monster left, and then collected the treasure.  
  
Opening the treasure box, and obtaining a useless item, Elk let out a sigh. So, Kite's interpretation was wrong. The items weren't good. But, before he could protest about leaving the dungeon, another portal was activated, that was unnoticed until the windy noise echoed through the dungeon room.  
  
Elk used another skill, Rai Rom, killing the enemy instantly, again. There were three more monsters left, and it seemed that the Twin blade was finishing them off, until he was unexpectedly attacked, causing a skill drain, taking almost all of his SP away.  
  
Using more magic finished the last monster in the room. The two waited for their SP to heal to an expectable amount before continuing.  
  
Going onto the third floor, and still fighting weak enemies, Elk really wanted to inform Kite that they probably wasted their time cleaning out the dungeon. But, as they entered the room with the Gott statue inside, he stopped.  
  
Kite opened the treasure chest, and indeed, they got okay items, but not anything rare. Two yellow candies and a Raitei. He gave Elk one yellow candy, and told him to buy something with it.  
  
And as they were about to leave the dungeon, they encountered a problem. No sprite ocarina. Bang. They had to walk back.  
  
Upon going back, they made one wrong turn and encountered another monster portal that was activating before warning. Elk, again, only needed one spell to destroy it, and sighed. He couldn't keep it in him...  
  
"These enemies are so weak, even I can kill them," he stated, loud enough for Kite to hear him. Kite killed the enemy in one slash and then gazed at him. "Did I say something wrong?" Elk asked.  
  
"You don't have to beat yourself up," Kite started. "You are really helpful; from healing to using a spell when needed. I'm really starting to wonder why you think you are so weak."  
  
So, it was bad that he thought he was weak? Not his fault. His mother gave him the interpretation. Tell it to his mother.  
  
"Hey, that way is the exit, so let's get out of here, and maybe we can meet out of The World sometime. It's alright with my mom. Is Saturday available? Or maybe we could meet at Sakura park?"  
  
"Maybe," he replied. "But, I have to go now." After reaching the field, Elk gated out and logged out. He just needed some rest.  
  
_+=_+=_+=_  
  
A/N: I'm hungry again! :-) Review and I continue. If you don't, I don't have it in me to continue. 


	3. Chapter III: Found

Disclaimer: I don't own .hack//INFECTION, .hack//MUTATION, .hack//SIGN, .hack//LIMINALITY ..nothing. All I can do is buy them.  
  
Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews. ^_^ Sorry I didn't update sooner, but I'm slightly lost at how this is going to go. ...it took me about a month just to get this chapter up..  
  
1. The original character, Shadow, only has one part in this chapter. Not a main character at all.  
  
2. BlackRose makes an appearance in this chapter, just for a little. ^_______^ Mia is mentioned. ^___^  
  
3. Strain yourself from killing Elk's mother. :-)  
  
Nothing else to say at all, so READ!!!!!  
  
"Why did Kite say that I shouldn't beat myself up? Is he mad at me?" Mumbling to himself wouldn't answer the question, as Elk knew, but he still asked himself. His mother was gone to get beer, so he assumed that he wouldn't see her for a while.  
  
The World, his pathetic attempt to make friends, as his mother had explained. Her assumption was correct, but she didn't expect him to actually make one. Still, she believed that he would be too shy to even talk to Kite in the real world.  
  
Mia.  
  
He didn't say a thing to Mia, which was unusual in itself. He was beginning to see Kite more often, for some odd reason. He knew that Mia was the character he always wanted to be; she was better at social skills, she could voice her thoughts better than he could.  
  
Elk sighed as he shifted in the uncomfortable bed he was stuck in. Was the floor more comfortable than the bed? He knew that the bed was acquired from a garage sale, and that it was very old. His mother wanted to spend more money on beer and as little as possible on him.  
  
Shifting to his other side, his thoughts turned to Kite. Kite showed some actual affection, which kind of affection, he didn't know. He just appreciated Kite's efforts, though Kite didn't know much at all, he was the only thing that was cheering himself up.  
  
And, Kite, he was coming soon. Tomorrow, actually. Five O'clock, to be exact. And his mother knew it. She might be the one to blow the things up, though. She probably let him invite Kite over for some reason. Her reasons qualified as having something to do with torturing him.  
  
Burying his head in the pillow, Elk soon fell into a deep slumber. And the slumber lasted until the morning. The morning when he logged onto The World.  
  
~*~ Aqua Capital Mac Anu. The easiest root town. And he still was strong enough to go to the Theta server. Still, training would do some good, though it was hard to train alone when you are a wave master. You have a limit to your power, unless buying many Mage Soul's, which were expensive.  
  
So, instead of training like the usual routine, Elk decided to get a better weapon. Trading. While checking his item pack, he discovered that he indeed had some good items, most acquired from Kite. Smiling to himself, he began to browse the town for some good traders.  
  
Shadow. Some person named Shadow. Sounded interesting, and this character looked to be at a high level. And.. Elk had never seen him before. It was a good opportunity, plus the character did have a good weapon equipped, and was a wave master.  
  
"Hey... um... Would you like to trade?" He asked the character, in his usual shy voice. Something about the character just gave him some weird thoughts.  
  
"No," he replied, "I don't believe you'd have anything to interest me with."  
  
"Well... o-okay then," Elk stuttered, and then began to walk away.  
  
"Wait," the character threw a weapon, so fast, that Elk had almost dropped it, but didn't succeed in stopping his stumbling. "Keep it; I have no use for it. Your quite amusing, and a rare sight to see, so you already paid."  
  
Elk examined the weapon, then looked back to see that the character was gone. The weapon was indeed of his type, and by checking the status, it had some good status, and a level 2 summon. Wow, a level 20 weapon traded in for... amusing the character?  
  
He shrugged it off though; it was better than having his old weapon. And he accomplished what he wanted; a new weapon. So, he was about to log out when...  
  
"Hey, Elk, wanna join my party?"  
  
It was Kite, sending this from a distance. In the Theta server. The server he wasn't strong enough to go in. Well, at least he'd get some EXP.  
  
"um... Okay," he replied, and then ran over to the chaos gate to get into Theta. But he stopped, right before clicking in the words. What if he wasn't strong enough?  
  
"Hurry up, Kite. Black Rose is getting impatient."  
  
So, he punched the appropriate buttons to get to the Theta server, without any hesitation this time at all. Just regrets. He shouldn't stay on long at all; his mother would come home, sometime, a time that he wasn't informed.  
  
Pushing it off, he appeared at the Theta server. He hadn't seen it often; he only came here to trade or to buy some good items.  
  
Edited characters were wondering around, trading, talking, getting prepared to enter a dungeon. And one weird character that was right in front of him, right after he just got on the server. It was a good thing that he looked around before stepping in front of him, or this character would have been bumped into.  
  
Walking off to the side in a search for Kite, Elk gave the character a glare before proceeding in his search for Kite. Searching, and not looking where he was going. Just paying attention to the left side of him.  
  
_Bam_  
  
He knew this would've happened. And it had to occur right now, of all times. Bumping into someone without any notice until the incident occurred. Looking up, deciding that it was best for him to apologize.  
  
There was Kite, on the ground, in the same situation as Elk. Rubbing his head and feeling embarrassed because of what had just occurred.  
  
"Bumped into two different people twice already," Kite mumbled, obviously recalling another time he had bumped into someone, which appeared to have been recent.  
  
Kite finally examined the person only a few feet away from him, and immediately recognized the young wavemaster to be Elk. Since he wasn't as shy as Elk, he had gotten up first, apologized, and lowered a hand for the wavemaster to grasp.  
  
The twin blade kept his hand extended, while the other just stared blankly at it. To reassure the wavemaster that it was all right to hold his hand, he extended it further, and did constant movements with his arm.  
  
Finally, Elk grabbed Kite's hand and he sprang up to stare at Kite's eyes. Vice-versa with Kite.  
  
"Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going. It was all my fault," Elk simply stated as he looked away from Kite's stare.  
  
"Nah, it's all my fault; I was paying too much attention to BlackRose's lectures on impatience and to not keep a lady waiting." He chuckled, as BlackRose began to give him a death glare.  
  
"It's impolite to talk about someone to someone else when they are standing right behind you!" BlackRose complained, and then playfully smacked Kite's elbow. "And to keep a lady waiting," she glared further at Kite.  
  
"I'm sorry I took so long," Elk finally said, causing BlackRose to laugh.  
  
"No, I don't blame you at all. You are too cute to argue with. Twinblade, on the other hand, just pisses me off." She began marching off to the chaos gate, in a faster pace than both Kite and Elk combined, as the both of them just trailed behind.  
  
"She sometimes gets like that, no need to worry about-" Kite was cut off as BlackRose's super hearing turned her around to glare at him. "Well, she can't inflict any real pain here." He started to walk in a faster pace, leaving Elk to be the only one trailing behind.  
  
"They act as if they are a married couple." Elk sighed as he thought about it. Kite would never worry about him; he had other people, who he definitely enjoyed more, and called for more often. He could never win at this competition. All he could do was come to Kite when he called him.  
  
~*~  
  
"B-but y-y-ou s-said h-h-he could c-come over," Elk protested against his mother, which was a poor mistake.  
  
_Slap_  
  
He fell to the ground against the door, venerably, unable to pose in a better landing.  
  
"Oh, he can come over!!! Without me here, and to find you in a puddle of your own blood." And she drew out a large knife, and slashed Elk with it on the arms, hard enough to draw more than a little blood.  
  
Elk screamed, or had tried to. That was before his mother clenched on his open neck, and began squeezing it, resulting in a bunch of coughs, appearing unstoppable.  
  
His mother then began to take more favor in using her own fists, as she punched his stomach, kicked his stomach, and then picked him up and threw him by the door.  
  
He trembled, he cried. Tears fell from his eyes and stained his cheeks in an unnatural red, clearly showing that he was crying. Drops fell to the floor, losing hope, as his mother attacked his legs with the knife, cutting the black pants and causing more blood to sink out from its original location.  
  
And she laughed. Laughed at his face, only to make the pain worse. And then she took two twenty dollar bills and went outside, getting in the car, and driving in the direction of the bar.  
  
Elk stayed on the floor, being unable to move, even though he knew that Kite was coming. Kite would find him like this! He'd ditch him for BlackRose, as she was obviously flirting with him earlier in the dungeon they went in. The thought only made Elk cry more, and he gripped him legs in a death grip, holding them close to his chest, more tears staining his cheeks. Blood being drained out of him onto the carpet.  
  
~*~  
  
Today was the day. Currently, Kite was walking down the street, the same street that Elk lived on, and was following the directions that had been given to him.  
  
The thirteenth house. There it was, a pale, blue house. It was a medium size; didn't look too small or too big. But, the size of the house didn't matter, it was the person inside it.  
  
_Knock, knock, knock_  
  
Oh, great, no answer. Waiting two minutes, and still none. But, it wouldn't hurt if you opened the door, would it?  
  
Entering the house, Kite could hear some sniffling. W-e-i-r-d. Well, it was that, until he began to see traces of blood on the carpet, that were still wet, leading down some kitchen and going down to what appeared to be a living room.  
  
And the cries got louder as he approached his destination; Elk.  
  
And when Kite finally got to the living room, he saw a figure, holding onto its legs in a death grip, crying, and spilling blood as the clock ticked. The figure noticed him immediately, and as he looked up, recognized the intruder immediately as Kite. He shook a little, but continued holding himself, crying.  
  
As for Kite, he was speechless. That was Elk? Bleeding, crying. Appearing as helpless as he could be. He actually resembled the character he edited on The World. But, that didn't matter right now. What had happened?  
  
Finally finding his voice, Kite released the only word he could think of, "Elk!!!" And he ran over there, going on his knees and examining the wounds on the wounded.  
  
_+=_+=_+=_  
  
A/N: CLIFF HANGER!!!! ^______^ I'm evil, aren't I? Well, at least I updated this chapter. I mean, this chapter is longer than the other two... I think. Well, the author's notes on this chapter were shorter than the other two. :- P  
  
REEEVVVVIIIIIEEEEEWWWWW!!!! 


	4. Chapter IV: Discover

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! ^^  
  
I feel as bad as hell for not updating for a long time when it was a cliff hanger. --I just wanted you reviewers to know.  
  
Oh, and I think I did a good job on this chapter.  
  
1. Warning; removing of clothes up to the shorts. ^^ You have been warned! (It's not what you think)  
  
So, read chapter four!!!  
  
"Elk, what happened?" Kite demanded, and appeared slightly angry, opposing the force that had caused Elk to be in such a bad condition with hatred, though there was no one to blame, since no one resided in the room other than the two.  
  
"Kite, y-you w-weren't s-supposed to s-see m-me like t-this," Elk replied, ignoring the demands that the twin blade made. "I-I didn't w-want y-you to know," he continued, and looked down to the floor, being incapable of staring in Kite's eyes.  
  
"Elk, look at me," Kite commanded, and Elk's eyes slowly raised their original location, examining the floor. "I would like to know what happened, and it couldn't of been something as silly as falling down the stairs," he informed before Elk could try and make that excuse.  
  
"I-I'm s-sorry, K-kite. I-I didn't m-mean a-any harm," the injured wave master continued, almost completely ignoring the speech that Kite was giving to him.  
  
"No! No, you aren't being a burden for me," Kite tried to reassure, but found himself sighing slightly as Elk's body went limp, and fell into his lap. And when Elk did, he found himself enjoying the warmth of the wave master's body in his lap.  
  
Smacking himself for forgetting that Elk had injuries, he slowly got up, carrying Elk up with him, towards the kitchen, and laying him down on the table. To his surprise, Elk made a small whimper noise as he began leaving him.  
  
Deciding that finding some bandages and first aid supplies would definitely be more beneficial than trying to calm down an unconscious body, he climbed up these squeaky stairs, some having traces of a dried up red substance.  
  
Eventually, Kite got to the last step and immediately located the bathroom, on the left side of the upper hall. Went he got inside, he found various first aid supplies. Smiling in approval of having a decent amount of bandages, disinfectant, and face clothes, he went back downstairs, carrying the newly obtained supplies.  
  
When he returned to the injured wave master, he immediately began to organize the contents of the first aid kit. Bandages, disinfectant, clothes, a hot water pad, it was good to have all these supplies lying around the house, especially if Elk got hurt.  
  
Kite frowned as he realized that he would have to remove most of Elk's garments to successfully tend the younger one's injuries. In a way, it would be a very embarrassing process; tending a friend's wounds who was only in their boxers when you barely knew them.  
  
As much as he would rather not do it, he had to. How could he even call himself Elk's friend if he couldn't help him in the time he needed him. So, forcing all opinions out of his head, he began to slowly remove Elk's garments.  
  
First was Elk's black cover-up. It wouldn't hurt at all to remove that, because after he removed it the shirt underneath it wouldn't reveal any skin that mattered. Even with that thought, he felt something strange while taking off the shirt.  
  
Then, the shirt that was the only thing that covered Elk's chest was next. Carefully removing it in a way not to disturb the unconscious boy (if he could disturb him in his condition at all), he removed the shirt, and gasped at two wonderful things.  
  
One reason that caused him to gasp was because Elk's chest was more well- built than he could have imagined. Sure, Elk got injured, and that may be a sign like he was training or something, as much as he doubted it, but that never really explained that fact as to why he was so well-built. He had to admit, he never thought Elk would be well-built, as a pose to how Elk reacted in the world, and how he chose to be a wave master.  
  
The second reason why he gasped was because of all the injuries and bruises that were newly made, and the scars that looked to be a couple of years old. How could the innocent Elk be injured. And in the past? The reason why he was injured now couldn't be a coincidence.  
  
Kite shook out of his awes and decided that it would be more convenient to start cleaning as soon as possible, rather than delaying Elk's recovery, not to mention the length he would remain unconscious might not be as long if he completed his job quickly.  
  
Grabbing a face cloth, he positioned it under the sink and ran some warm water on it. The face cloth preserved a considerable amount of water before being relocated on Elk's forehead, and wasted some water that ran off the sides of Elk's head.  
  
After that was done, Kite grabbed another face cloth and wet it with the same temperature as the last face cloth. The only difference was that Kite applied soup to the cloth and then began to run it down Elk's body.  
  
Cleaning off all the dried up blood, and disinfecting all of the semi-fatal wounds, he bandaged the small cuts with some cheap bandages and covered the worst injuries with some white cloth. He smiled at his work, admiring the time spent to "fix" Elk up, he finally just stared at Elk, admiring his body.  
  
~*~  
  
He woke up in a soft bed, which usually was a bizarre feeling, considering that he usually slept in a rock hard bed that his mother had gotten him at a garage sale. Elk felt that he could actually stay in this bed and relax, as it was much more comfortable than the floor.  
  
The room was an unusual temperature; a warm temperature. And the curtains by the window were opened, letting all the light shine through.  
  
And beside him, resided Kite, in a chair, fast asleep. He didn't know what he was feeling when he saw Kite inhale and exhale, the way it was almost manipulating him, making him want to rush over there and touch him. It scared him, the way he wanted to thank Kite in a way.  
  
He soon discovered that his body was wrapped in bandages, and his head ached. And eventually, he discovered that this was Kite's doing. Kite had taken care of him, despite the fact that he didn't know what happened to him. And he was sleeping in the chair. It was obvious that he was waiting for him to wake up, and fell asleep on his own. He hadn't abandoned him.  
  
So, Elk decided that it'd be best to take advantage of this predicament, and stare at Kite, watching every breath occur, every small shift in the chair, every movement. However, doing so had caused him to get out of the bed and actually touch the skin.  
  
It was so soft; like a warm bed, and it was so pale, too. The skin appeared flawless, without a single scratch on it; unlike his, which was covered in bandages.  
  
The sudden contact with Kite backfired; as he woke up from the sudden feeling, and stared at the now fully conscious Elk. The memories came all back to him as he blinked and stared at the wavemaster.  
  
"Elk! You are alright!" He shouted out, and accidentally gave him a hug, which caused the two of them to fall down on the bed, the twinblade on top. They both blushed and reluctantly got off of one another.  
  
"Not any m-more," he complained, indicating that his fall on the bed wasn't merciful to his condition. The wavemaster rubbed his wounds to prove his statement.  
  
"I'm sorry," the other replied. "But, I'm the one that fixed you up in the first place," he argued, and flicked a bang out of his eye.  
  
"I f-figured that o-out m-myself," Elk replied. "B-besides.. I l- learned a lesson f-from m-mothe-" he stopped, realizing that he was giving away the culprit that had hurt him, to the extent that he eventually lost consciousness.  
  
"Who did it to you?" Kite had obviously picked up most of the sentence.  
  
"It's m-my mother. She d-did this to me," he gazed at his own cuts, some residing on his hands, and other on his legs.  
  
"Elk, does she do this on a regular basis?" Kite inquired, looking at Elk suspiciously, forcing Elk to answer the question.  
  
"Y-yes," he replied, and Kite only stared at him in shock.  
  
"Who helps you recover?" He asked.  
  
"M-me, b-but she u-usually d-doesn't do it t-this b-bad," he stared once again at his injuries, and actually managed to locate some dried up blood.  
  
"Oh, Elk, why do you always have to leave so much pain in yourself, without telling anyone. No wonder you have no self-confidence, you let yourself get beaten." Kite patted Elk's head with his hand. "You never change. Are you going to stop stuttering?"  
  
"Umm.. O-okay, no, okay. I-I'll.. I'll try."  
  
"Well, I'm going home, since I've been here for a while. I'll come back tomorrow to check on you, and I'll be on "The World" tomorrow, too. Okay?"  
  
"umm... Okay."  
  
_+=_+=_+=_  
  
A/N: This wasn't necessarily the longest chapter in the world, but at least I updated. Right? Next chapter.. I think they'll kiss for the first time, so review!!  
  
P.s: Sorry if there are any mistakes. ^^' 


	5. Important note

This is a note to all Enigma fans. I feel as though this story has gone out-of-order. I appreciate all these reviews... but I never had this story planned out and realize that I could never link them all together in a beautiful of composed words to meet your approval.  
  
I plan to in the future, write more yaoi .hack fanfics, so don't worry about losing this yaoi fanfic. However, they may not be from this author profile, and instead be just a fanfic on the internet on ff.n in the .hack section.   
  
Sorry for inconvenience. I promise that you shall see more from me.  
  
~ thanks, Dark-Guardian 


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